Null passed for three first-half touchdowns, then launched a 97-yard strike to Charly Martin to start the second half, as No. 6 West Texas A&M tattooed Texas A&M-Kingsville, 55-35, before 8,219 fans at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville.

It was the longest TD pass for Null, who threw for a career-best 545 yards, and longest catch for Martin, in their WT careers. The catch was Martin's 180th, putting him into second place on WT's all-time reception list.

In the first half, he caught an 8-yard TD to put him first in receiving yards.

"It was the call in the huddle. When you're backed up inside the five, a team usually doesn't throw it," Martin said of the long TD play. "Keith threw a pretty ball and I tried not to get caught from behind. My track coach told me never to look back."

Despite the show put on by Null and Martin, Kingsville made a game of it in the fourth quarter.

"They've improved a bunch. Darnell made a great play. He knew what to do with it when he got it," WT coach Don Carthel said.

Earlier Saturday, No. 5 Nebraska-Omaha lost 42-0 at home to No. 8 Northwest Missouri State, opening the door for the 5-0 Buffs to move up in the national poll.

In 2006, the Buffs went to the beach prior to playing the Javelinas but no player got in the water after Null stepped on a jellyfish in ankle-deep water. Null and the Buffs avoided the ocean this trip but the Javelinas could not avoid Null.

Null was 34-of-49 for 545 yards. His previous high was 498 yards in last year's Division II playoff game against Washburn.

"We had a great start, and we had a good second half. We just didn't put it in the end zone," Null said. "The offensive line did a good job. (Kingsville) tried to bring it. This is a great win for us."

While Null sparkled, it was a historic night for Martin, who entered the game 29 yards from becoming WT's all-time reception yardage leader and seven catches from becoming No. 2 in career catches.

He got the yardage record with an 8-yard TD catch at the 9:32 mark of the second quarter and his first touchdown catch against A&M-Kingsville. His third catch gave him 34 yards and pushed him past Brad Bailey (1992-1994, 2,677 yards) for the lead.

He had six catches in the first half, tying him with Duane Joubert for second place at 179 receptions. He moved ahead of Joubert with the 97-yard catch that gave WT a 38-7 lead.

"I made a play fake and let it fly," Null said of the deep ball to Martin. "All I saw was him catch it. I hoped he kept on running."

After scoring the first touchdown but then giving up 38 straight points, Kingsville scored in the third quarter on Billy Garza's second TD pass. Each team scored twice in the third quarter and each quarterback was picked off in the fourth quarter, Null by Eric John in the Javs end zone three plays after Curtis Jefferson intercepted for the Buffs.

Javs backup quarterback Daniel Ramirez threw an 11-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to make it 45-28 with 10:17 to play. Jabir Perkins' 91-yard kickoff return after James Chandler's 26-yard field made it 48-35 game.

"We made some mistakes but when we played, we played well," WT linebacker Jared Brock said. "It's always tough to win here."

After both teams went 3-and-out on their first possessions, Kingsville drove to a touchdown on their second try. Garza marched his team inside the 20, then threw 16 yards to Damian Couthren in the right corner of the end zone. The Javelinas went 80 yards and gained five first downs. Garza was 8-for-8 on the drive.

WT got points on its second drive, too, but it was just three. The Buffs marched to the Javelinas 13 as Null connected three times with Carl Johnson for 32 yards. A fumble, however, on first down lost seven yards. WT couldn't get the first and settled for a 34-yard field by Chandler with 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

In a span of less than seven minutes in the second quarter, WT scored three times to take command.

WT took the lead when Brock recovered a fumble by receiver Jareko Taylor, who was stripped by Caleb Randolph after a short reception. Brock had missed intercepting a pass the previous play.

A personal foul on the Javelinas and a four-yard run by Keithon Flemming put the ball at the 9, where Null threaded a pass to Carl Johnson for the touchdown.

After a third three-and-out by Kingsville, WT went 80 yards in 1:20 with Null going 25 and 42 yards to Martin to set up a 10-yard scoring pass to A.J. Ruffins. With 6:36 left in the half, the Buffs led 24-7.